Compound recoil-spring for vehicles.



D. L. POTTER.

COMPOUND REGOIL SPRING FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED. JANA, 191s.

I 1,1 10,230. Patent ed Sept. 8, 1914..

2 SHEETS-SHEET'L,

D. L. POTTER. COMPOUND REOQIL SPRING FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED JAN}, 1913.

1 ,1 1 0,230, Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I /3 LL/7 HELE 73 I chroma,

THE NORRIS F E1'ER5 CO. FHDTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, 0.:v

DUANE L. ro'rrnn, or SCRANTON;"PENNSYLVANIA.

COMPOUND, EECOTL-SPRI1G VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed lanuary t, 1913. Serial No. 740,251.

To all whom it may concern ,Be t known that I, DUAnnL.

Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in compound Recoil-Springs for Vehicles; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description. of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same. e

This invention relates to compound recoil springs forvehicles q Y In carryingfout my invention, I-provide v in connectiontwith each of the usual elliptical leaf 'springs'a curved leafspringwhich may be termed a platform spring, and which has connection directlyywith; the body at" oneend, the central portion being connected, with the elliptical spring, and the rear ,end, with a spring extending transverselyof thebody portion at the rear thereof. =Cooper ating'with the springs above mentioned 18 a coil spring which may be mounted vertically and provided with adjustable means, this spring last mentioned being especially designed. to provide, by increasing or .decreas{ ing its tension, for the varying intensityof the rebound when traveling over an uneven.

surface and when traveling over a comparatively smooth road way. j

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this applicationLF-ig ure 1 is a side elevation of an'automobile body with my invention applied thereto. Figg2-is a rear elevation- Fig. :3 is a topplan view of a portion of the construction. I i v Referring to the drawings in indicates the body of an automobile or other vehicle, 12 the rear axle thereof, and 13 and 1 1 the rear wheels, carried by said axle. Mounted upon the axle is a pair of elliptical springs, one of these being designated 15 and the other 16. The springs are located between the sides of the body and the rear wheels, and normally about one-half of the said springs may projectabovethe bottom of the body.

Connected with each elliptical spring is 'av curved spring 17, one end of which is cone. nected with the body by apin 18, and the opposite end of which is connected with a link 19, the latter in turn having connection with link 20 carried by .a leaf spring 21 ex tending across the rear ofthe body. Spring.

Po'r'rnn, citizen of the "United States, residing at:

detail, 10

1 7 has connection with theupper portion of the elliptical springby means -of, a hanger or spacing member 22. ,This spring, or the central portion thereof,-is normally located aboutmidway between the upper and lower o "1301131011801 the elliptical springs above mentioned. I The sorin 21 extendin across the rear of the body is carried by, a special form of bracket 25 connected with, the body in any suitable manner. Pro ecting downwardly fromoneflend of the body is a lug or other member 26 having rigid connection withthe' central portion of spring 21 I A collar'30 is carried by the which; is aresilient' device32. which serves to support the lower end of coil spring 33.

Bracket" 25 is provided with an aperture near its extreme end, and a threaded rod 3-1 projects through the said aperture and has' rigid connection withtheupper end 3410fthe coil spring, An independent coil springv .85" may encircle rod 31- and be located between-the upper'end, of spring33 and the I end of bracket E25. v I

In order toprovidefor'the adjustment of.

the device, athreadedmember which maybe in the form ofa wheel is mounted above the.

aXle 12, and :has formed thereon a lug 31, connected'with 5 a ented spt. s, 1914;

bracket and is designated 36. It will be 1111- derstood; that. the operation of, member 36 willpincrease or diminish the tension of spring 33 and of theothersprings Theraction of springs 16v and 17, which may be termed compound springs, is1nodifled by adjusting their, position or, tension through or by means of spring"33, in.order I tension. In severe shock the body of the car does notdescend far before itis mildly,

checked; by the gfirst action of spring 83,

which becomes stronger as the body descends and untilthe niovement of thelatter is arrested. Inth'e. reverse action, or re 1 'to hold them ,somewhat below:their.normal F bound, spring 33 .soon comes into action,

'ts tension increasing until the ascension is fully arrested the time the compound springs 16 and'l? have gained their normal position. At thispoint the tensionv of spring 33 has become sost'rong that the, compound springs can not throw the body any higher without lifting the rear of the machineor the wheels from the ground. Thus the compound springs are governed by'the action :of

spring 33 which acts mildly at first but becomes more rigid when there is a I pro-H vehicle body, an axle, a plurality of springs carried by the axle, a supplementary spring connected witheach of the springs first mentionechmeans for connecting one end of each supplementary spring with the body, a spring extending transversely of the body and connecting the opposite ends of the supplementary springs with each other, and a means connected with the body and with the axle, and arranged to modify the tension of :ertain of tho atoresaid springs, said means last mentioned including a spring having connection with the axle, arodconnected with the spring and means for controlling the movement of the rod and spring with reference to the body and limiting the movement of the latter in one direction.

In a device of the class described, a vehicle body, anaxle, a plurality of springs carried by the axle, a supplementary spring connected with each of the springs first mentioned, means for connecting oneend of each supplementary spring with the body, a

spring extending transversely of the body and connecting the opposite ends of the supplementary springs witln'eachother, and an adjustable means connected with the body and with the axle, and arranged to modify the tension of certain of the aforesaid springs, said means lastmentioned including a spring having connection with the axle, a rod connected with the spring and means for controlling the movement of the rod and spring with reference to the body and limit mg 'he movement of the latter in one (IlllQC' tion. 1

3. In a devlcei of the class described, a vehicle body, anaxle, springs earned by the axle, said springs havingelliptical form, a

Copies of this patent may be'obtained for the supplementaryspring with the elliptical spring, means connecting corresponding ends of the elliptical springs with each other, and independent means connecting the body with the axle, the means mentioned including a principal spring, a device secured to the body and provided with an opening therein, a rod connected with the spring and passing lthrough said opening, a supplemental spring between the device secured to the body and the principalspring, and means for preventing movement of the rod in one direction with reterence to the device last mentioned. in a device of the class described, a

body, an axle, aplurality of springs carried therebv a suioleinentaiw snrn associated a 9 l i a with eacn of the aforesaid springs, and having connection at one end with the body, a

hanger for connecting the supplementary springs with the remaining springs, a spring extending transversely of the body 'at the rear and havin connection with the slit) )l elly connected gwith the colcoil syn'ingfand means adjustably sup porting the stem with reference to the body.

5. Ina device of the class described, a body, an axle, a plurality-of springs mounted thereon, a supplement: ry spring connecting each of the aforesaid springs with the body, means connecting corresponding ends of the ,suppleme ary springs with each other at ithe rear (1; the body, a device carried by the t-j-axle, a resilient de'rice connected therewith, ia coilspring coim-ected with the resil ent de.

rice, a; stem carried by the latter, an adjustable member for varying the tension oi the coil spring, a second coil spring carried by the stem, a device carried by the body and arranged to guide the said stem, the second coil spring being located be'tweenthe device and the coil spring first mentioned, and hav ing greater resiliency than thelatterx. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DUANE L. POTTER.

itnessesz EDWARD T: Fnnwrcn, Gnonon H. MAonoNALo.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of l'atents,

Washington, D. C.

anentary springs, a collar carried by the axle, 

